Where to eat in April

From a new spot to soak up the sun that’s surely coming soon, to a monthly menu we want to eat all April long; a Spanish-Irish take on a favourite spring ingredient, to a Indian-Italian lesson in community spirit; a new Sunday lunch hot-spot to a pop-up opportunity to try one of the country’s best concepts, here’s everywhere we’re eyeing up for April's eating...

For the good weather that might, maybe, arrive:

The Linen Yard, Harold’s Cross

After a series of soft-launches throughout the month of March’s, Harold’s Cross’ Linen Yard is officially open for business. Rise Nordic Spa are at the heart of the offering with a wood-fired sauna, hot tub and plunge pool, but it’s the food court with ample outdoor space that we’re as eager to get out to – if the weather plays ball (there’s indoor space too, but where’s the fun in that). Shaka Poke and Bak’d Pizza are on hand for savoury needs, with Sweet Churro and Brew Brothers Coffee at the ready with sweeter options. With a bar to boot and a dog-friendly policy, this one is gonna be hopping.

For pastries worth a journey:

The Rock Bakery, Skerries

One of the best parts of April is knowing that even if the heat isn’t there, the odds of bright blue skies all over Dublin just get better and better. It’s the ideal time of year for a road or rail trip, and what better reward at the end of it than The Rock’s latest drop. Their April menu counts confit garlic sausage rolls, and tea and honey custard-covered lemon drizzle danishes among the five specials added to their old favourites. If ever you needed a reason for an early outing to Skerries, there it is.

For the best new Sunday lunch in town:

Margadh RHA, Ely Place

Eighteen months on from pulling down the shutters on his much-missed Skerries site Potager, ex-Chapter One chef Cathal Leonard has taken over the reins at Margadh RHA - a flurry of feet to Ely Place is sure to follow. Mamó owners’ Jess D'Arcy and Killian Durkin's city centre concept ditched à la carte for a (great value) set menu a while back, but with Leonard at the helm (and no doubt exhausted diners in mind), it’s right back to a mix-and-match with truffle bon bons, smoked duck, celeriac pithivier, and rotolini pasta among the new treats in town. We expect a new Sunday lunch service here to be the real draw, with beef wellington and stuffed guinea fowl among the weekly specials we've already seen.

For a steal of a deal on the best chicken fillet roll around:

Chimac, Aungier Street

It’s as much for the necessary lesson in local provenance and premium ingredients, as the exceptional value of this one-week offer, that we’re all eyes for Chimac’s chicken fillet roll price match. We know well the scepticism that cash-strapped punters greet higher costs with – we hear it every time we try to preach the difference between price and value. Here’s a rare chance to really taste the difference, with one of the city’s best chicken shops slinging them out at the same €6.25 price as their local deli all week long. If you can still genuinely say the taste difference isn’t worth the extra few quid, well – no harm, no fowl.

For the best of white asparagus season:

La Gordita, Montague Street

We sounded the alarm on an unusually early appearance of white asparagus way back in February this year, with choice treatments from Richmond to Comet to Forest Avenue cropping up all over the city ever since. But as Spargelzeit proper really kicks into its April high gear, nothing’s grabbed our attention as much as what the gals at La Gordita have cooked up. They’re serving spears straight from Spain alongside our own Lough Neagh eel, and we’ve never wanted to eat our veggies more. All that’s left to decide is what to drink it with – ours is a txakoli.

For a high-end taste of West Africa’s best:

Ibile @ The Devlin, Ranelagh

We won't rest until Ibile get their own space – run, is our advice any time these guys pop up, especially with the immortal prawn akara on the menu. They’re back in the capital with their fine dining spin on West African flavours at The Devlin this weekend after an initial Easter Sunday appearance that looked just incredible. You can go the whole hog on four courses, two sides and three cocktails for €75, or just rock up and help yourself to their first-come-first-serve bar menu from 9pm, with drinks and DJs going all night. We’ll bet good money the whiskey suya sour is as good a cocktail as you'll get all month.

For the Italian-Indian fusion you never knew you needed:

Rascals x Kari, Inchicore

There are good neighbours and then there’s this. Inchicore icons Rascals and Kari have joined forces for the former’s April specials, and if it’s as good as it sounds, Italian-Indian just might be our new favourite fusion food. The Kari Gold (nice) is the product of some special schooling of Rascals’ chefs by Kari’s, a lesson in layered Indian spicing and creamy textures that’s resulted in this butter chicken pizza. And for the veggies, Green Day pairs a creamed spinach base with mozzarella, paneer and beetroot cream. As big fans of both businesses we’re all for this co-operative collab.